Sri Lanka to address wild elephant and crop damage within two years

Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Housing, T.B. Sarath announced decisive measures to prevent the destruction caused by wild elephants within two years and crop damage caused by other animals within six months.

This announcement was made during a media briefing following the Polonnaruwa District Coordination Committee meeting.

Several Divisional Secretariat areas in the Polonnaruwa District, including Dimbulagala, Welikanda, Elahera, Lankapura and Hingurakgoda are severely affected by wild elephants.

Residents face continuous threats as elephants damage crops and disrupt daily life. In the Thirappane area alone, wild elephants have destroyed approximately 50 acres of paddy fields in the villages of Sembukulama and Demategama.

Farmers report frequent destruction of their crops by wild elephants and have urgently requested crop protection firearms to safeguard their livelihoods.

As a short-term measure, operations to drive away wild elephants have already commenced.

Meanwhile, vegetable farmers in the Welimada area also report significant losses due to other animals damaging their crops. They have appealed for immediate steps to protect their vegetable cultivation, which plays a crucial role in local agriculture.

Deputy Minister T.B. Sarath highlighted that while several initiatives are already underway to prevent crop damage caused by wild animals, the active participation of local communities is essential for the long-term success of these efforts.

With wild elephants continuing to pose a significant threat to paddy fields and other animals damaging vegetable cultivation, the government aims to implement sustainable solutions to protect farmers and ensure agricultural productivity in Sri Lanka.